Esther Dolores Bailey

On the Eve of Christmas 2023, Dad stood inside the Gates with eager anticipation...holding his daughter's hand, he looked down and comforted her saying "Mom will be home soon."

Esther Dolores (Roth) Bailey has passed comfortably into our Father's arms. The second born child to Phillip and Mary Estella Roth, Henry's beautiful wife and a loving Mother to 12 of her own. Born February 27, 1927....a farmer's daughter who attended country school and graduated from Lamar High School, class of 1944. On November 10, 1947 she married Henry Bailey, an Arcola, Missouri farm boy. Life followed and it was a full one for sure....seven beautiful daughters and five handsome sons. All of them raised strong-willed, hardworking and hard-headed...just like her! She worked as a switch board operator for the phone company, a "cafeteria lady" for Lamar Schools and retired from O'Sullivan Industries (a proud member of the "castor room bitches").

Esther was preceded in death by her husband, Henry; her parents, Phil and Stella Roth; a brother, Roy Roth; a sister-in-law, Corrine Roth; a brother-in-law, Ken Simons; three nieces, Gae Ann Roth, Eden Simons and Hazel Ott; five nephews, Jerry Gass, Gary Aldrich, John Hereford and Mike Hinrichsen; her Bailey-in-laws; Lee & Gladys Richardson, Willard & Ruby Bailey, Joe & Larue Bailey, and Howard & Maye Gass.... and by her daughter, Christina (our guardian angel).

She is survived by two sisters, Phyllis Simons and Marilyn Roth; a brother, David Roth and her children,  Barbara, Beverly, Edward, Kathleen, Phillip, Martha, Amiee, Joey, Scott, Noelle, and Steven... their spouses, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a very LARGE family of nieces & nephews, in-laws & out-laws.

308 Truman is quiet now...

A second home to Mia, Jack, Zac, Abbey, Danny, Katie, Kelsie, Natalie, Natasha, Nathanael, Kyla, Benton, Samson, Peyton, Travis and Sierra. The kitchen has gone still, it's pots and pans have served their last meal. The laundry is all finished, nothing left to hang or fold. The garden, it lays dormant, oh the food it did provide. The flowers are going to fend for themselves, if they are to survive. The laughing and the cussing has faded from around  the dinner table but in our souls, we hear it still. Mom and Dad sure gave these walls life and the door was always open to all our friends! This house had life and it was a life that was FULLY lived!

As Mom would often say, "Oh well, and life goes on", (we love you Mom),

The Bailey's, the Roth's, the Simon's, and all our family's wish that any and all donations be made to the "Barton County Library" or "St. Jude Children's Research Hospital", in Honor of our sister, Christina, knowing that one day we will defeat Cancer.
 
A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. ~ 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 30, 2023 at Daniel Funeral Home. A private family burial will be held.
 
Condolences may be shared at www.dfhlamar.com